SCS retains Hamilton principal as a teacher after grade-tampering allegations

More than 50 Hamilton High School students protested Wednesday the suspension of their principal and want answers from school officials about the suspension and the future leadership at their South Memphis school.
Yolanda Jones/The Commercial Appeal

Buy Photo

January 30, 2018 - Danyell McAdams, student president at Hamilton High School, speaks in favor of keeping the school's principal, Monekea Smith, during the Shelby County Schools board meeting. The Shelby County Schools board will vote Tuesday night whether to demote Hamilton High's principal and suspend her for 20 days following allegations she improperly changed students' grades.Ê(Photo: Brad Vest/The Commercial Appeal)Buy Photo

The principal of Hamilton High School will stay with the district but demoted to a teaching position following accusations she was involved with changing students grades.

The Shelby County Schools board voted 8-0 Tuesday night to demote Monekea Smith and suspend her for 20 days.

Smith will be reassigned and receive 14 days of back pay because she's been suspended without pay for 34 days, SCS Superintendent Dorsey Hopson said.

If Smith disagrees with the charges levied against her, which allege she allowed use of her login to change grades from failing to passing, she can request a hearing. If she disagrees with the outcome of that hearing, she can appeal back to the school board.

Smith was not present at the meeting and attempts to reach her were unsuccessful. The heads of both major teacher unions said they were not representing Smith.

The district said in December that Smith was suspended without pay pending her termination. But Hopson on Tuesday recommended the suspension and demotion from a principal to a teacher. He did not explain the discrepancy between the district's previous statement and his decision to suspend and demote Smith.

The charges represent the first disciplining of a principal in an ongoing investigation into improper grade changes at SCS schools. Two schools, Hamilton and Trezevant High, have had confirmed cases of grades changed outside of what's allowed by district policy.

A secretary and former football coach were disciplined in the Trezevant case, in which the secretary's login was used to change more than 1,000 grades without authorization, according to an investigative report released in December.

Another half-dozen schools are still under investigation for having a suspiciously high number of grade changes in the last five years, but it's unclear if those changes were made improperly.

General Counsel Rodney Moore said the charges against Smith stem from an investigation conducted by Edward Stanton III, of the Butler Snow law firm, who conducted the bulk of the investigation into Trezevant. Moore said the district may not be done looking into Hamilton, either, but could not get into specifics.

"We're sensitive to making sure employees have a fair hearing," he said.

Smith was charged with conduct unbecoming to a member of the teaching position and neglect of duty.

According to the charging document, failing grades at Hamilton were changed to passing ones at the end of last school year without the knowledge or justification of the teacher who gave the original grades. The changes were made with Smith's login, according to the document.

"During the 2016-17 school year, Ms. Smith neglected her duties and responsibilities when she allowed an employee lacking her level of authorization to use her login credentials to access the system in order to make unjustified report card grade changes, and when she failed to monitor and ensure the proper recording of student report card grades," the document states.

Monekea Smith(Photo: Hamilton High)

It continues, "Ms. Smith acknowledged that there was no legitimate reason for the grade changes and further admitted that she violated SCS policy by providing her computer access password to individuals who were not authorized to have such access."

The school district has not released any additional information of what transpired at Hamilton, how many students were affected, or if any students graduated without actually earning their diploma. Smith was in her third year at the school, but the grade-changing accusations in the charging document are limited to last school year.

Dozens of people from the Hamilton community came to Smith's defense during the public comment section of the meeting, although the change in recommendation from termination to suspension was not made public until later in the meeting.

William Jones, a Hamilton graduate, spoke of the school's history of distinguished alumni, despite recent years of academic struggles.

With Smith as the principal, "We alumni saw a path back to those glory days, if you will," Jones said.

Buy Photo

The Shelby County Schools board listens during the public comment section of its meeting Jan. 30, 2018.(Photo: Brad Vest / The Commercial Appeal)

"Our principal deserves her job," Hamilton student Tierra Reid said.

Earlier this month, students held a walk-out during the school day in protest of Smith's removal.

Students expressed frustration at the meeting that they'd received no update after speaking with Hopson following their protest.

"Y’all promised us answers and we haven’t heard any answers," student body president Danyell McAdams said.

Hopson responded to the group as a whole by thanking them for speaking.

"We don’t always agree, but I do just want to acknowledge their advocacy," Hopson said.

A few board members who spoke before the vote said they supported Hopson's recommendation because it would start the proceedings for "due process," although Tuesday's vote is final unless Smith appeals.

"Of course that choice is hers," board member Teresa Jones said.

Reach Jennifer Pignolet at jennifer.pignolet@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @JenPignolet.

Posted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

Buy Photo

Hamilton High School students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis police officers keep an eye on the scene at Hamilton High School as students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis police officers keep an eye on the scene at Hamilton High School as students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Hamilton High School students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Hamilton High School students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Memphis police officers keep an eye on the scene at Hamilton High School as students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Hamilton High School students gather in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Hamilton High School students return to class after gathering in front of the school to protest the suspension of the principal, Monekea Smith who was suspended without pay last month pending termination from the district after an Shelby County Schools investigation "confirmed a grade changing issue," according to district officials. Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal